Sunday 26 June 2011

Burnt

It's our dry season here. There's a fire somewhere around every day and the smoke stays low on the horizon. All the hills are slowly turning black and then softening to a dark charcoal grey.  So many negatives about the fires around.  The kids worry terribly about the animals caught in the path of the slick moving flames.  Asthma sufferers are staying indoors on the worst afternoons.  It's rare for any properties or people to be caught in the bush fires around here, we are so thankful for that, but it has taken a while to convince the kids.  The hills that were still tinged with green from our fantastic wet season are looking depressing now.  But I know that for many plants this season of fire means they will have a chance to flourish.  As grey and dark as it is now, soon we will see shoot of green sprouting on the hills.  Seeds brought alive by the heat of the fire, fed by the ash on the ground, growing and sprouting ready for the next wet season.

For now though, we can enjoy the beautiful colours of the sunsets caused by all the smoke in the air.






These were taken on two afternoons recently.  The first one, I got home with the kids and saw the beautiful colours changing as I drove down the street.  I had just enough time to dash inside, throw my stuff down and grab the camera.  I got off very few shots before all the light was gone.  The second one was taken while we were playing with the kids out on the street, riding bikes and taking sunset photos.  Taking advantage of a slightly warmer afternoon than usual.  Our usual rule is that it's inside time once the streetlight at the bottom of our driveway comes on... I saw it flick on and prayed that the kids wouldn't notice because I wanted "just a few more minutes".  I'm glad they didn't notice it because I got this shot long after it came on.

Both photos taken on my lovely new camera that my wonderful family bought me for my birthday :-)

Tuesday 21 June 2011

Sacrifice

Over the years, many people have tried to teach me about sacrifice.  Sacrifice in my Christian walk, sacrifice for my work, sacrifice for others, it's an endless list really.  But none have taught me quite so much about all these areas as my kids.  Mothers sacrifice so much, then we go and feel guilty that we haven't quite sacrificed enough, we would do anything for our kids.  Sometimes we need to make a call... is this sacrifice worth it?

I have put my body on the line, because lets face it, although plenty of people do it, giving birth isn't exactly safe... least of all for your figure. My abs resemble more "rolling hills" than "washboard".  My hips are kinda clicky and gumby, my feet are getting a little wider with each baby... and kinda hairier, I'll be a hobbit soon.  Don't even get me started on what three C-sections will do to a girl!  Sacrifice.

I have given up the chance for a bigger house, nicer clothes, more chocolate, all the things that a job providing more money could buy. Some women have to work so they can just keep the food on the table.  Sacrifice.

There are so many sacrifices that I make every day, little ones.  Four biscuits left in the packet so I go without, not getting that nice pair of pants I saw for me so that I can get a pair of jeans for Lion, giving up time out with a friend so that the kids can stay home and nap, sitting up at night with a child who can't sleep so that he doesn't have to be alone in the dark, being the last to sit down at the table and the first to get up again so that everyone can have a nice dinner, cooking dinner instead of watching the news, watching that kids movie that I can't stand over and over and over again because someone wants to sit and snuggle while they watch it again, missing out on time alone in the day so that a small child can feel like he's had some one on one time with me.

Then, one day, you are called to make a sacrifice that stops you.  It stops you in your tracks and you just don't know what to do, where do you go for advice? Who has been down this path before?  Who can help you make this decision?  The answer, if I'm honest, is that no one can.  You need to do what is right for your family, for your child.  Maybe it is time to let them grow up that bit more, spread their wings, assert their independence... maybe it's not.  If you let them do this one thing, your relationship may never be the same again, you may never be the same again.  Can your heart handle it?  Can you face that sacrifice so large that it will change who you are as a person?  Your fear realised and come to life?

For me, that time has come.  Far sooner than I thought.  I tried to talk him out of it.  He tried to talk me into it.  I tried to convince him that "maybe later" was a better option.  He did his best to convince me that he was ready.  I tried to tell him that it's just not what we do in our family.  He told me that maybe our family needs to change.  He presented some good arguments.  He didn't nag.  He accepted that I was not going to give in but he persisted in his pursuit.  I started to question myself a little more.  My motives.  My strength.  My sacrifice... was this one that I had to give in?  Where I had to go against my better judgement and make this sacrifice for my child?  This was something that I held to with everything in me, it was never going to happen... so how had it come to the point where I was actually considering the sacrifice?  Then, he did it... "It's okay mum, I know you don't like it so that's okay."  He was giving up his dream, for me.

So, I made the sacrifice for him.


I went ahead and let him buy a remote control Tarantula.

Sacrifice.


This hideous creature is sitting in my cupboard waiting for Dragon to earn the money for it.  He's been the tough one to teach to save.  I've been trying to get him to set goals to save for but he never makes it, he quits and settles for something else before he reaches his goal.  He's been wanting one of these for ages, he has not given in.  I've not been pleased with his determination.  They aren't often in the shops so when I decided he could have one I said I'd buy it and keep it aside until he earned the money for it... and he's getting there... a little too fast.  He is the one that takes the here and now over the sit and wait.  Something small in his hand RIGHT NOW will always win out over waiting for the small things to turn into something bigger.  He's changed.  For a spider.  Turning down the offer to purchase of a new matchbox car for the chance to add $2 more to his total savings.  Offering to help with cleaning for another 50c marked off his chart.  Suggesting jobs that I have never had any success in getting him to help with... not even for money... just so he can get his spider sooner.  Responsibility... Determination... Forward planning... not things that I would associate with my Dragon... until now.

I'm still regularly regretting my sacrifice... like every time I walk past his earning chart and see that he's almost half way there... but I can see what this has taught him.  The lessons he is learning from this are ones that he'll need to remember.  Lessons that will keep him in the future... like if you pull at Mum's heart strings hard enough she'll break like a twig.

Sacrifice.

Wednesday 15 June 2011

Patient Notes: Dragon McTavish








Case Notes: 4 year old male patient presented well after bed time with severe Textatinge to the face, hands and feet.  Further examination also showed Textatinge to the torso with the most worrying symptom being the dark tint to the belly button.  The child's mother said he was supposed to be sleeping and she knew he was finding it hard to fall asleep but had no idea of his condition until he came to her while she sat enjoying the quiet of the house.  

Pay careful note to the back of the right hand.  The Textatinge seemed to only go to his wrist initially, but upon closer examination after the images were taken, it was discovered it was far more serious and ended closer to the elbow than the wrist.  Initial treatment was discussed and it was suggested that we let the Textatinge wear off with time and the child give the cause to all who ask, a common combined form of the treatments "Imasillydill" and "Embarrassment".  After further discussion that treatment seemed too strong for a first outbreak and another common treatment was decided upon with a topical application of dihydrogenmonoxide (H2O).  The Textatinge did not immediately clear up and certain areas responded better than others with the forehead showing the best (and most rapid) improvement.  Treatment will continue over the course of a few days with the added treatment of a liquid detergent at approximately 24 hours after the first symptoms appeared combined with a dihydrogenmonoxide bath.

Should the Textatinge return in the future we will discuss more severe treatments to deter further outbreaks.

Dr McTavish.


Did I ever tell you I loved working as a clinical photographer?  If only all my cases had been this cute (and non-infectious).

Tuesday 14 June 2011

Random thoughts and a random winner...

My brain is a little random today.  So I am just going to dump it all out on here and hope that helps.  It also fits with the other need for this post... picking a random winner for the Walt Disney Studios Alice in Wonderland 60th Anniversary Special Edition giveaway... but I'm going to make you wait for that.

Monkey has FINALLY cut the missing tooth from his crooked little smile.  He has had 3 bottom teeth at the front for the last 6 months.  The fourth one just wouldn't come through.  FINALLY it has shown itself and is a sharp little fang, I think it may even be responsible for his cranky moods and upset nights of late.  Even if it's not, I'm going to blame it anyway because the other option is just that my child is a little feral.

I turned 30 last week.  I don't feel old but apparently I'm pretty much geriatric now.

I'm still getting pimples.  This is beyond a joke.  They were supposed to stop after puberty.  I guess officially this is still after puberty but I was kind of expecting something a little closer to the end of puberty, not still be going at 30.  I hate pimples.

I cleaned my lounge room at least 5 times over the weekend.  Is it any wonder I can't get the house clean if I have to keep re-cleaning the same rooms over and over and over?

Last night at 10pm I was scrubbing out the cupboards under the sink... I like to live on the wild side.  I spilt half a litre of milk under the dishwasher last week and I cleaned up the milk straight away but with the dishwasher pulled out I figured I'd better clean up all the other gunk that was collected under there.  So finally last night I got around to that and when we went to put the dishwasher back we realised that when Wolf pulled it out the spot where the drain hose connects to the drain under the sink had cracked and grotty drain water had been dripping under the sink all weekend... Thus, at 10pm I had just finished cleaning under the dishwasher when we conducted emergency repairs to the connection (the dishwasher was running before we realised so it was a race against the cycle) and then commenced pulling the cupboards apart and cleaning it all out.  Admit it, you are jealous of my exciting life.

I have made white sauce approximately 9349428490 times.  I know that you NEVER walk away from it, not even for 'just a second'.  It will, without fail, be that exact second that it starts to thicken and grab at the pot and because you aren't there to stir it you'll get a million lumps that you can't get rid of.  I KNOW THIS... yet I do it every time.  I walk away... I get lumps.  Oh well, no one complains... they know better than that.

There's still more random in my brain but this will do for now, I can't keep you waiting forever.

Now, the moment you've all been waiting for...  The winner of the Walt Disney Studios Alice in Wonderland 60th Anniversary Special Edition is comment number...



The third eligible comment belonged to...



Congratulations Kym, if you can email me at MummyMcTavish@gmail.com and let me know your mailing address I will pass the details on so you can be sent your copy of Alice in Wonderland.  



For the rest of you, I'm sorry but you'll have to go out and buy your own copy... or hunt down one of the other competitions running to win it ☺

It really is a wonderful family movie and we will be enjoying it over and over and over again!

Wednesday 8 June 2011

'sup?

This post has been sitting in my drafts to add some photos to and then post... I'm just going to post it, okay?  I'm glad you're going with me on this one, I'm trying to get posts up, they will never be perfect so just getting them published will have to be my goal, no more languishing in the drafts for months...

Things have been changing around here.  Wolf got a new (long prayed for) job.  Wolfs new job went from being contract to permanent.  Lion started a new year at school.  Dragon started a new year/class at kindy.  Monkey has grown up so very much.  Mummy has... done stuff... or something... I can't really remember, I am having enough trouble remember which classrooms my boys need to go to and dropping the right child at kindy and at school and making sure that at least one child comes home with me...

Anyway, part of Wolf's job now is weird shifts.  His old job meant that he was around in the mornings to help (a bit) with getting us off to school before he went to work.  He was then home about three quarters through the afternoon to help with dinner, bath and bedtime.  His new job has some shifts that I don't like very much.  I enjoy the perks of these shifts like starting at 7am means he's home at 3:30pm and we get lots more play time.  Starting at 2pm means we've had the morning to play and go for a coffee if we want to.  Unfortunately it also means that I get a little stressed in the mornings if he's got to head off early.  Or I flip out in the evenings if he's going to be home after bedtime.  The big boys are very light sleepers in the early hours so they wake up when Wolf is getting ready... at 5:30am.  Which means they wake their little brother about that time too... which means I am dealing with tired cranky kids from the start.  Getting tired cranky kids ready to leave the house is not fun.  But at times it does come with some entertainment.

One particular night we finished two separate boxes of tissues so the next morning beside the bin were the two empty boxes.  Monkey thought these were great and while Mummy was busy trying to convince Dragon that he really did need to wear clothes to kindy Monkey put them on his hands and went around the house banging them together to make as much noise as he could.

Lion always wears joggers to school, Monkey found his own joggers and decided that was what he wanted to wear today so I found him some socks and we put them on him, Dragon decided that since everybody else was doing it that he wanted to wear his joggers too.  The problem with that is he never puts his socks back in the wash.  Or one goes in the wash and the other disappears.  So I went hunting for two matching socks.  After a few minutes I called to him that I was having trouble finding two socks that matched and could he just wear his clogs today?  "No mum, I want two socks that are not the same as the other one"... well, that might also account for why none of the socks I can find match, they aren't even worn as a pair!  So, you can't get more mismatched than one blue sock pulled almost to his knee and one grey sock that comes about an inch above his ankle.  I didn't explain to his teachers at kindy what was going on, they see me drop him off twice a week, they probably figure that it's lucky we remembered to turn up each day... and that I don't accidentally leave the wrong child behind.

On the way to kindy there was a general cacophony in the car, I assumed it was coming from all three boys.  We stopped at the traffic lights and I glanced back and saw Monkey sitting in his seat, worn out look on his face, fingers in his ears.  I know just how he feels.  I thought I'd have a better listen to what was bringing on this reaction from him...

Dragon was burping "baa baa black sheep"... the whole song.
Lion was baaing (yes, like a sheep) the ABCs... all of it.

I wonder what effect this will have on my little Monkey, will he go for a "can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach?  Will he be "the quiet one"?  Will he raise his voice louder still to be heard above the din?  Who knows.


*Don't forget to check out my Walt Disney Studios Alice In Wonderland 60th Anniversary Edition giveaway here.  It ends this Sunday*

Tuesday 7 June 2011

I'm the princess around here.

It's hard to teach the boys how to treat girls/ladies when they really only have mummy to practice on.  Mums are just different.  You'd spit some food you don't like into your mums hand but you'd never do that to any other girl.  It's fine for your mum to help you blow your nose but you are expected to turn away if you need to blow your nose in front of any other girl.  Your mum washes your undies, cleans your school lunch box, picks your pyjamas up off the floor... not much is held back for mum.  So, it's nice that we have a small but very special supply of other princesses to help in this training.


My brother's little Ladybird was dedicated to the Lord a few weeks ago.  She's such a special little darling.  It meant that the boys got to spend some precious time with her and practice their princess care.




Ladybird is one well cared for princess.  Lion would do anything for her... he just doesn't really want that advertised.  Boys aren't supposed to get all gushy over babies... or something like that.  Dragon would love nothing more than to teach her everything she needs to know in life, especially about accessorising... he loves to see her wearing jewelry.  Monkey is her loyal protector... though we're still kind of ironing out the kinks with that one.  Currently he seems to have gone to the Slobbery Dog school of princess protection.  He'll keep any unwanted advances (or indeed any wanted ones too) away from you but he may drool all over you and possibly even crush you in his attempts to keep you safe.

Now we just need to teach them not to bow to the every whim of these princesses... Even a princess needs to be told "get your own drink" occasionally.  But thankfully Ladybird is too little for that yet.

*Don't forget to check out my Walt Disney Studios Alice In Wonderland 60th Anniversary Edition giveaway here.  It ends this Sunday*

Monday 6 June 2011

A Very Happy Un-Birthday To ME!

Sadly I only get 6 un-birthdays this week but I do get 1 birthday to make up for it.  It's a big week for birthdays around here.  REALLY big.  My father-in-law's was on Sunday.  My sister-in-law's (Mum-me) is on this Sunday and mine is on Thursday.  You'd think that was enough excitement.  Then you go a little further out and you find out that my cousin was born on my 3rd birthday so his is also on Thursday and we were both born the day after our Grandad's birthday, so although he's not alive anymore we will still remember his birthday on Wednesday.  See what I mean it's a big week.  But we aren't the only ones celebrating this week.  Walt Disney Studios is having a little bit of a celebration too... they are releasing the 60th Anniversary Edition of Alice in Wonderland!!!


I LOVE this movie.  I loved it as a kid, I have loved it as an adult and I loved this new, remastered and fancified version too!  But before I start raving on about Alice let me tell you something...
When I was a kid we didn't have our own VCR.
I'll let that sink in for a minute...
What? What's a VCR?  Um, well, it was a big box thing that you plugged into your TV and you shoved these other boxes inside it that were kind of like a big cassette tape and... what's a cassette tape?  oh, uh, never mind.

Anyway, we had no way to see anything that wasn't on the 2 or 3 channels of free to air TV.  Now don't even get me started on the time when we only had a tiny black and white TV and the sound was shot so we had to watch ABC so we could tune in the radio to be able to hear it... talk about deprived childhoods!

So, on the holidays dad would borrow a VCR (remember, that's a movie player thingamabob) from whichever school he was teaching at at the time and we'd be able to go to the video shop and hire some movies.  We also got to watch movies at our Grandparents on the weekends.

Now, I'm not sure if it was at my grandparents or if we just always got the same movies from the video shop but we ALWAYS seemed to end up watching Disney's Alice in Wonderland.  LOVE IT.  But the thing about Videos was that once the tape got a little stretched everything on that section of tape got a little stretched too... so you can just imagine what the sound was like.  Hooooboy, I can not believe how beautiful this new 60th anniversary edition sounds!  I heard every word... when I could get the kids to stop talking over it "Shhhhh, mummy's reliving her deprived childhood".  Also, I'm not usually a fan of all the talkey talkey "bonus" stuff they put on DVDs but I was HOOKED.  I loved hearing about what Walt Disney went through to produce this movie, I especially loved hearing from the lady that was the voice of Alice... LOVED IT ALL!
They are releasing it as a DVD & Blu-Ray value pack!  We don't have a Blu-Ray player so I couldn't watch all the bonus stuff that was exclusive to the Blu-Ray version but if you do then you get to see even more exciting stuff.  If you want a taste of what it's like you can check out the official trailer...



But ya wanna know something?  It's not available yet.  Not until Wednesday June 8th.  So, how have I seen it?  Well, the lovely folk at Porter Novelli sent me a copy on behalf of Walt Disney Studios.  Sweet, aren't they?  But the even more exciting thing is that they want to send one of you a copy too!  How sweet is that?

So if you want to WIN your VERY OWN copy of Walt Disney Studios Alice in Wonderland 60th Anniversary Special Edition then you'd better enter my little competition.

It's easy to do, all you need to do is tell me in the comments who your favourite character is from Alice in Wonderland.  If you haven't seen it just tell me your favourite Disney character from any movie.

Mine is Alice, no, no, uh, actually it's the March Hare... or, uh, maybe it's the crazy White Rabbit... but sometimes I can really associate with the Queen of Hearts...

Well, I don't really know who mine is, but I'd love to know who your favourite is so get commenting.


*Official stuff that I need you to read starts here*

  • One entry per person.
  • Australian residents only.
  • This requires no skill, the winner will be randomly selected from all valid entries.
  • Please make sure I can find your email address easily either in your comment, on your blog, in your profile... just put it somewhere, please!
  • Competition ends Midday Sunday June 12th.
  
Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of the DVD courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment via Digital Parents. No financial payment was offered nor accepted for this post. All opinions expressed are purely my own.